Foil feeding mechanism for rotary blocking machines



Aug. 2, 1955 p, BATTEY 2,714,268

FOIL FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY BLOCKING MACHINES Filed July 51, 19513 SheetsSheet l Aug. 2, 1955 A. P. BATTEY 2,714,268

FOIL FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY BLOCKING MACHINES Filed July 31, 19513 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 2, 1955 A. P. BATTEY 2,714,268

FOIL FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY BLOCKING MACHINES I Filed July 51.1951 5 SheetsSheet 3 United States Patent FOIL FEEDING MECHANISM FGRROTARY BLQCKENG MACHINES Alfred Pierssene Battey, Barwick-in-Eimet,England, assignor to R. Hoe & Co. Inc., New York, L, a corporation ofNew York Application .i'uly 31, 1951, Serial No. 239,601

'7 Claims. (Cl. 41--7) This invention relates to the mechanism forfeeding foil in rotary blocking machines, the foil having a coating suchas gilt which is to be applied to the article (such as a book-case) as apattern or wording is impressed on the article.

Rotary blocking machines comprise a die cylinder and a an impression orabutment cylinder between which the foil in the form of a long strip istrained from a supply roll to a rewind roll, the cylinders beingconstantly rotated while the machine is in use. The die cylinder carriesa curved die which, as the cylinder rotates, comes into impressioncooperation with the impression cylinder and so effects an imprint onthe article fed between the cylinders, the coating on the foil stripbeing also ap plied at this time.

It is obvious that the demand on the strip is intermittent, i. e. itarises only during the impression period of the die which takes placethrough only a part of a complete rotation of the die cylinder. The mainobject of this invention is to provide an improved foil feedingmechanism which will enable the foil to be fed forward by and during theintermittent rolling impression between the die and the impressioncylinder without subjecting the strip to snatch on the strip which wouldcause irregularity in feed and possible breakage of the strip.

This object is achieved according to this invention by taking the foiistrip to the cylinders over a looping mechanism which is operated firstin one sense to increase and then in the other sense to reduce the loopand in taking the strip from the cylinders over a second loopingmechanism which is operated in step with the first but in the reversesense. Thus while one looping mechanism is operating to pay-out stripthe other is operating to take-up strip, and, so far as the loopingmechanisms are concerned, the effect is merely to move the length ofstrip between them first in one direction and then in the other. Thearrangement and timing of operation of the looping mechanism in relationto the continuous rotation of the cylinders and their intermittentrolling impression periods is such that the strip is paid out from thefeed side to the delivery side of the cylinders throughout theimpression period and in the same direction and at the same speed as therolling impression.

Thus, the die, the foil strip, the book-case or other article to beblocked and the impression cylinder all move in the same direction andat the same speed during the time when they are in impression positionand in consequence there is no tendency to snatch or overfeed the strip.

In order now to advance the used section of the strip, and to present afresh section for impression there is also provided a feed mechanismwhich operates intermittently to advance the strip through the loopingmechanisms and this feed mechanism operates intermittently during thenon-impression period of the cylinders at which time the strip is freeto be drawn between the cylinders.

The amount of foil fed to and drawn from the system is adjustable tosuit the requirements of different dies.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichFigure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the path about which a foilstrip would be trained, Figure 2 is a similar view of a second foilstrip in a machine using two such strips, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic endelevation of such a two-strip machine as seen from the left of Figure 2,and showing the arrangement of certain essential elements of themachine, Figure 4 is a side elevation of a mechanism which could beprovided to efiect control of the foil strips, Figures 5 and 6 aredetail views of parts of that mechanism, and Figure 7 is a top viewpartly broken away, of parts shown in Figure 5.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, 1 indicates a die cylinder havingmounted on it a die 2, and 3 indicates an impression cylinder with whichthe die 2 cooperates. The articles to be treated are fed from a feedboard 4 to between the cylinders 1 and 3 and the articles are deliveredafter treatment to a delivery table 5.

A strip S of foil is passed between the cylinders 1, 3 the strip passingfrom a supply roll 6 and being rewound on a rewind roll '7. In Figures 1and 2, the foil S in moving towards the cylinders 1, 3 is indicated byfull lines and in moving away after impression the strip S is indicatedby dotted lines. The cylinders 1 and 3 are constantly rotated and whenin the rotation of the cylinder 1 the die 2 rotates into impressionregister with the cylinder 3, the die impresses the coating of the foilstrip on to an article which at that time is passing between thecylinders.

It will be clear that as the die 2 makes impression cooperation with thecylinder 3 for only a part of the rotation of the cylinder, the demandupon the foil strip is intermittent: it would obviously he uneconomic torun,

.the strip S continuously through the cylinders and the purstrip werearranged to be pulled forward from rest by the moving of the die 2 intoimpression engagement with the web.

In carrying out the invention as shown by the drawing, the strip Spasses to the cylinders over rollers 8, 9 oi? which the roller 8 isfixed in space and the roller 9 is movable in space. The two rollers 8,9 are so disposed as to form a loop 16 in the strip and by moving theroller 9 the length of that loop can be increased and decreased.

The strip 8 in passing from the cylinders 1, 3 passes over rollers 11,12 which are disposed similarly to the rollers 2i, 9 so that a loop 13similar to the loop 10 is formed in the strip S on the delivery side ofthe cylinders 1, S. it" now the movable rollers 9 and 12 are operated sothat one loop is payed out or lengthened as the other loop is shortenedthe part of the foil strip 8 passing between the cylinders 1 and 3 ismoved forwards and backwards. The forward movement is timed to occurthrough the period in which the die 2 makes rolling impression with theimpression cylinder 3 and the rate of forward movement is the same asthe rate of rolling impression. The backward movement occurs while thedie 2 is out of impression relation with the impression cylinder.

To achieve the synchronous lengthening and shortening of the loops 10,13 the rollers 9 and 12 are, in the arrangement shown, carried on rodssupported at the opposite ends of levers 14 which are secured to arotatably supported shaft 15, the levers being rocked in phase with therecurring impression periods of the cylinders 1 and 3.

The looping mechanism clearly does not advance the strip so as topresent fresh sections. This is achieved by turning the rewind reel 7intermittently so that the strip is fed through the looping system. Thisfeed operation of the strip is of course effected during thenonimpression period of the cylinders, 1, 3 and hence the rewind reel 7is advanced intermittently.

This feed of strip could be accomplished by turning the supply roll 6and the rewind roll 7 so that one pays out strip and the other draws itin.

However, to avoid difficulty which may arise in effecting the samedegree of movement to the two parts of the strip, it is preferred asshown to arrange the run of the strip so that it passes over the samepair of rollers in passing from the supply roll 6 and in passing to therewind roll 7. In the drawing the rollers are indicated at 16, 17. Thestrip S passes from the feed roll 6 direct between the rollers 16, 17and then around the roller 16. The strip passing back to the rewind roll7 passes around the roller 16 and then between the rollers 16, 17. Thusthe rotation in one direction only of the rollers 16, 17 draws off thestrip S from the supply roll 6 and at the same time pays out the sameamount of strip S to enable it to be rewound by the roll 7.

It is obviously necessary that the feed and withdrawing parts of thestrip S shall pass over the single pair of rollers 16, 17 at differentparts lengthwise of them and this can be effected by lateraldisplacement of the one part of the strip as compared with the otherpart by the use of for example turner bars, as is shown more clearly inFigure 3 in which turner bars for the strip S are indicated at 18, 13,these bars effecting the required lateral displacement.

Obviously more than one such strip feeding mechanism can be employed tosuit the requirements of dies different in size and in position on thedie cylinder. In the drawings, two such strips are shown, and one isindicated by the reference S in Figures 1 and 3 and the other, which issimilar in operation and control, is indicated by the reference S inFigures 2 and 3. The parts associated with the strip S that correspondwith parts associated with the strip S are identified by the samenumerals followed by a prime symbol As the two strips may requiredifferent feed, they are each taken to their own rewind roll as isclearly shown in Figures 1 to 3, Figure 1 showing the lead of one stripand Figure 2 the lead of the other strip.

Reference will now be made to Figures 4 to 7 which illustrate amechanism for effecting the operation of the parts described withreference to the diagrammatic Figures 1-3.

In Figure 4 is shown at a shaft which forms the pivotal mounting for thelever 14 that carries the looping rollers. One end of this lever haspivoted to it at 29 (Figure 6) a link 21 the outer end of which ispivotally connected at 22 to an arm 23 pivoted at 24. The link is formedwith a groove 25 which receives a block 26 pivotally mounted on one ofthe links of an endless chain 27 passing over chain wheels 28, 29. Thechain wheel 28 is driven through a chain 30 from a chain wheel 31 on amain driving shaft 32. The arrangement is such that the chain 27 makes acomplete circuit for each operating cycle of the die and impressioncylinders and it will be seen that while the block 26 is travellingalong one or other straight run of the chain 27 the block will swing thelever 14 in one direction. When the block passes with the chain aroundone of the chain wheels 28, 29 the rate of movement of the lever 14 willfirst decrease to zero and then will increase to a maximum as the blockpasses into the other straight run of the chain. By this means the lever14 will first be moved in one direction at a constant rate, then willdecelerate to rest, will then accelerate to a maximum speed in the otherdirection which will be maintained until a deceleration and reversalagain takes place.

As the levers 14 carry the looping rollers 9, 12 and 9, 12 it followsthat the loops 1t), 13, and 10, 13' will correspondingly be lengthenedand shortened in step with the impression and non-impression periods ofthe cylinders 1, 3.

The same shaft 32 (Figure 4) is also employed to cause the foil strips Sand S to be drawn through the looping mechanism to present a freshportion of the strip.

The shaft 32 carries a gear 33 meshing with a gear 34 which makes onecomplete revolution per cycle of T the machine. This gear has acrank-pin 35 which receives one end of a push-rod 36 the other end ofwhich is pivotally connected at 37 to a frame 38 which can swing about afixed pivot 39. To this frame is pivotally connected at 4t), the upperend of a link 41 for rotating the rewind reel 7. The lower end of thelink 41 is pivoted at 42 to an arm 43 fast with a gear quadrant 44 whichin turn meshes with a pinion 45 fast with a plate 46 which can oscillateabout the centre of a shaft 47 which carries the roller 16.

The quadrant 44 is caused to oscillate by the oscillation of the frame38 and this in turn causes the plate 46 to oscillate on the shaft 47.The plate 46 carries a pawl 48 to engage a ratchet wheel 49, secured onthe shaft 47 and thus, as the pawl 48 operates to drive the ratchetwheel 49 in only one direction of movement of the plate, the ratchetwheel 49 and hence the shaft 47 and the roller 16 will be advancedintermittently in each cycle of operation to take up the foil strip asalready described. The same mechanism can also be used to drive therewind reel 7 by providing a chain Wheel 50 on the shaft 47, this chainwheel transmitting corresponding intermittent drive through a chain 51to the spindle 52 of the rewind reel 7.

The amount of foil feed will obviously depend upon the requirements ofany particular case. In order therefore to provide for regulation, thepivot 40 connecting the link 41 to the frame 38 is adjustable to varyits distance from the pivotal point 39 of the frame 38. This is effectedby mounting the pivot 40 to slide along the length of the frame 38 andby connecting the pivot to a rod 53 formed at one end with a rack 54engaged by a pinion 55 on an adjusting hand wheel 56.

The parts associated with the rewind reel 7 are similarly operated fromthe swinging frame 38, and those parts are given the same referencenumerals with a prime symbol added.

In the case of the adjusting hand wheel 56' for the reel 7, this isoperated not directly on its pinion 55 but through an intermediate gear57 which enables the two handwheels 56, 56 to be brought out ofalignment for ease of manipulation.

It will be clear that the amount of feed of foil for each of the twostrips S, S can be independently regulated since each mechanism from thepivots 40 onwards is independent although both are actuated by thesingle rocking frame 38.

Provision can be made to shut-down the feed of foil by the expedient ofholding the pawls 48 clear of their ratchet wheels 49 by any of thewell-known constructions for such a purpose.

The die cylinder 1 could be heated so as to heat the die or dies on itand the machine could include an inking mechanism indicated at I inFigures 1 and 2 to ink the die when the blocking operation is to beeffected 'in ink instead of or in addition to the foil.

I claim:

1. A blocking machine which comprises a die cylinder, an impressioncylinder, means to rotate the cylinders continuously, a die on the diecylinder and moved thereby intermittently into impression relation tothe impression cylinder, foil-strip control means including a positivelydriven looping device to move the strip forwardly with the die andimpression cylinders during their periods of rolling impressioncooperation and backward relatively to the cylinders during theirnon-impression periods, a

foil-strip feeding roller positioned to draw strip from a supply roll, arewind reel driven in timed relation with the feeding roller, a ratchetwheel connected to the feeding roller, a pawl cooperating with theratchet wheel and oscillated by a continuously moving member of themachine to drive the feed roller intermittently and thereby advancefoil-strip through the machine during each nonimpression period, therebyto present a fresh section of the strip for each successive impression.

2. A blocking machine which comprises a die cylinder, an impressioncylinder, means to rotate the cylinders continuously, a die on the diecylinder and moved thereby intermittently into impression relation tothe impression cylinder, foil-strip control means including a positivelydriven looping device to move the strip forwardly with the die andimpression cylinders during their periods of rolling impressioncooperation and backward relatively to the cylinders during theirnon-impression periods, a foil-strip feeding roller having one arealocated to draw strip from a supply roll, and another area to advancethe strip to a rewind reel driven in timed relation with the feedingroller, an overrunning clutch device having a driven member secured tothe feeding roller and a driving member oscillated by a reciprocatingmember of the machine to drive the feed roller intermittently, toadvance the foil-strip through the machine and present a fresh sectionof the strip for each successive impression.

3. A blocking machine which comprises a die cylinder and an impressioncylinder rotated continuously, a die on the die cylinder and movedtherewith into impression relation to the impression cylinder duringeach rotation of the cylinders, a foil-strip supply, positively drivenlooping rollers moved at a speed sufficient to alternately cause forwardand backward motion of the strip as it passes between the cylinders, afeed roller and a rewind device, means for driving the feed roller andrewind device intermittently, including an irreversible couplingmechanism having a first member fast on the feed roller and a secondmember oscillated relatively to the first member by a continuouslyreciprocating member of the machine.

4. A blocking machine as defined in claim 3 and com prising means foradjusting the stroke of the said reciprocating member, including apivotally supported frame having a connecting pivot to receive thereciprocating member and means to adjust the connecting pivot radiallyin the frame and thereby vary the amount of foil-strip fed during eachrotation of the cylinders.

5. A blocking machine which comprises a die cylinder, an impressioncylinder, means to rotate the cylinders continuously, a die on the diecylinder being moved thereby intermittently into impression relation tothe impression cylinder, a foil-strip supply roll, a foil-strip rewindroll, means to train the strip from the one roll to the other betweenthe cylinders, a first looping device to loop the strip passing to thecylinders from the supply roll, a second looping device to loop thestrip passing from the cylinders to the rewind roll, positively drivenmeans to operate the looping devices in unison so that one increases itsloop as the other decreases its loop and vice versa whereby the stripbetween the looping devices is first paid out at the same time and speedas the time and speed of the rolling impression and is then moved back,a driven roller over which the strip is taken, first in passing from thesupply roll to the cylinder and again in passing to the rewind roll, sothat both portions of the strip are moved at the same rate, turner barspositioned to deflect the strip so that the said two portions pass overdiiferent parts lengthwise of the roller, and a ratchet device to drivethe roller intermittently and during the non-impression periods toadvance the strip through the looping devices, the said ratchet having acooperating pawl connected to a member reciprocated in timed relation tothe cylinders.

6. A blocking machine which comprises a die cylinder, an impressioncylinder, means to rotate the cylinders continuously, a die on the diecylinder being moved thereby intermittently into impression relation tothe impression cylinder, a supply roll for foil-strip, a rewind roll forused foil-strip, means to lead the strip from the supply roll betweenthe cylinders and to the rewind roll, positively driven looping devicesto move the section of the strip passing between the cylinders forwardlywith the rolling impression and backward relatively to the cylinderduring the non-impression period, a driven roll over which the strippasses in running from the supply roll to the cylinders and over whichthe strip passes in running from the cylinders to the rewind roll, anddriving means synchronized with the cylinders to move the driven rollintermittently during non-impression periods to take up used strip andpresent a fresh section of strip for each impression, the said drivingmeans comprising an irreversible clutch having a first member secured tothe feed roller and a second member oscillated by a reciprocating memberof the machine during each rotation of the die cylinder.

7. A blocking machine comprising a die cylinder capacitated to carry aplurality of dies disposed lengthwise of the cylinder, an impressioncylinder, means to rotate the cylinders continuously, and means tocontrol a foil-strip for each die, the said means each comprising astrip supply roll, a strip rewind roll, means to lead the strip from thesupply roll between the cylinders and in the track of its respective dieand thence to the rewind roll, positively driven looping means to movethe section of strip passing between the cylinders first forwardly withthe rolling impression and then backward relatively to the cylindersduring their non-impression period in readiness for the next impression,a feed roller for each strip, and driving means for each feed rollerincluding a ratchet clutch, a pawl cooperating with the ratchet, areciprocating member driven in synchronism with the cylinders tooscillate the pawl, and means manually operable while the machine isrunning for adjusting the stroke of the reciprocating member and therebyvarying the feed of the strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,939,717 Morse Dec. 19, 1933 1,978,073 Belcher Oct. 23, 1934 2,248,419Auld July 8, 1941 2,546,372 Pinckert Mar. 27, 1951

